


(i'm sorry if i let you down)

by ackermanx



Series: reglay family shorts [3]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuuin no Tsurugi | Fire Emblem: Binding Blade, Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken | Fire Emblem: Blazing Sword
Genre: Gen, Other Characters Are Mentioned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-22
Updated: 2018-01-22
Packaged: 2019-03-08 04:37:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13450701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ackermanx/pseuds/ackermanx
Summary: "Am I not the son of the famous Mage General?" Klein shouts despite himself. "Do I not have a reputation to live up to?"(am I not simply a failure if I cannot handle other people's expectations?)





	(i'm sorry if i let you down)

**Author's Note:**

> oh. oh man
> 
> thanks to phi for enabling me and feeding me more reglay fam ideas hahahaha

Klein's morning routine was always the same: wake up, yawn, stretch, and hit some body part on a corner of his bed.

 

"You're growing into a fine young man!" Erk had commented about him more than once, and while Klein certainly appreciated the compliments, it would be an understatement to say that...well, he wasn't really feeling them.  


Exhibit A: what Uncle Canas fondly referred to as "puberty." Otherwise known as the common name for the voice cracks that had started happening lately, the awkwardness that hangs in the air now whenever visiting nobles bring their daughters with them, the extra inches added to Klein's height that left him unable to figure out how to fold his legs underneath the dinner table anymore.

 

Exhibit B: Clarine. Klein was very much aware that most of their arguments were just things that came along with having siblings, but he couldn't shake the feeling that she was frustrated at him because of something else. And given her barely-a-ten-year-old's outlook on life, it was doubtful that she would be able to provide much insight herself.

 

Exhibit C: Klein himself and his skills. Mother had taught him how to use a bow and arrow and he had caught on wonderfully, but - 

 

"Brother! It's time to wake  _up,_ c'mon, why are you still in bed?"

 

Clarine all but launches herself onto Klein's bed, forcing Klein to roll out of the way quickly before getting crushed.

 

"How," is all he can manage. "How can you be so full of energy this early in the morning?"

 

"Just because  _you_ aren't doesn't mean that it's impossible!" Clarine sticks out her tongue and sits up, legs crossed. "Erk is always awake really early too!"

 

"Erk...doesn't sleep. I'm not sure he's the best example to use concerning sleep cycles."

 

But Clarine is already halfway out the door and had stopped listening to Klein long ago, so all she responds with is "see you in the dining room!" before disappearing completely.

 

Klein, for his part, sighs fondly and slides out of bed.

 

He doesn't remember either Father or Mother talking about having to make court appearances today, so he simply throws on the most comfortable things are owns while walking out of the room. The armholes of his shirt, however, continue to evade him - and with his head stuck firmly in the aforementioned shirt and arms still searching wildly, it comes as no surprise to Klein when he finally bumps into someone.

 

The impact doesn't hurt, but it's just hard enough to pop Klein's head through the neck hole in time for him to dodge an extremely wobbly pile of books.

 

"Good morning, brother!" he directs at the barely visible mop of purple hair. "Coming down to breakfast?"

 

"Ah - oh, Klein! Good morning to you too, yes."

 

Erk pokes his head out to the side and grins widely at the boy. "I was planning on heading down, but I should probably drop these off in my room before my arms decide to give up on me."

 

"I'll come too!"

 

Klein hurries to Erk's side and grabs two books from the (still rather perilous-looking) pile. "Actually, I wanted to ask you - when's my next magic lesson going to be? It's been a week, and I think I'm ready for more."

 

"About that...um."

 

Grinning weakly, Erk suddenly decides that the floor is a much more interesting place to direct his attention. "It's probably not a good idea to - "

 

"Is this about the shed that I burned down last week? I promise, that won't happen again...or, I'll try my best, at least!"

 

"Klein, I know that you only have the best intentions. But magic is hard to tame, especially at such a young age."

 

"But Miss Nino, wasn't she younger than me when she started using powerful magic?"

 

"Nino is...different. She's got this innate talent that very few have.  _Very_ few; even Dad had to undergo years of study and training."

 

"Oh. Okay."

 

Klein visibly deflates - then thinks of something, and just as quickly perks back up. "But if you ever think that I'm ready, then I...!"

 

"I promise, if I think for even a  _second_ that you are capable, I'll come looking for you. Deal?"

 

Finally reaching his bedroom, Erk nudges the door open with one shoulder. He sets his books down on the first flat surface he spots, gesturing for Klein to do the same, then sticks out a hand to shake.

 

Straightening his posture the tiniest bit, Klein adopts a solemn expression and takes Erk's hand. He brings it up and down once (smoothly, he hopes), then lets his grip loosen and his grin grow wider.

 

"Deal."

 

* * *

 

 

"Brother? Have you seen Mom?"

 

"Huh? Not yet, I think she might be in her and Father's room. Did you need something?"

 

At that, Clarine starts retreating back into the hallway. "Of course not! Everything's fine, I was just...curious."

 

Klein raises an eyebrow and pushes the task of restringing his bow to the side. "Alright. What happened?"

 

"I never said that anything happened - !"

 

"You need to get better at lying if you hope to put anything past Mother or Father. C'mon, I promise I won't tell if you don't want me to."

 

A muffled curse. Then - "o...okay, I can probably trust you."

 

 _Probably?_ Klein thinks, slightly miffed.

 

...Then Clarine hobbles in with a broken leg, and his eyes widen in horror.

 

" _Clarine_ , how did you - why didn't you go to the healers first?"

 

"One, I fell off my horse," she mumbles, pushing some blankets to the side on Klein's bed and making herself comfortable. "'N your room is closer, and it's always so  _stuffy_ in the infirmary. I hate it there."

 

"But you're planning on becoming a healer, aren't you? How could you hate - "

 

Clarine throws Klein a long-suffering look and he cuts himself off, raising both hands in defeat.

 

"I'll go find Mother, you just stay here and don't do anything else to that leg, okay?"

 

"Okay!"

 

Slightly worried, Klein walks through the castle as fast as his legs can carry him. Thankfully there isn't much distance to cover, because the bedrooms have all been clustered fairly close together, so he finds Pent's room within a few minutes.

 

Klein should knock on the door and let himself into the room, call out for Father and ask where Mother was. It's what he would normally do, without hesitation. But he pauses - maybe because he really does think that a proper healer would help more, maybe because he's terrified of disturbing something - and those few seconds are enough time for Erk's voice to leak through the cracks in the door.

 

_Brother?_

 

Frowning, Klein lifts his hand from the doorknob and leans in. He ignores every nerve screaming  _stop while you still can, this isn't what a future lord would do_ and focuses on the sound of familiar voices just enough so that he can make out the words of a conversation.

 

"...tell Louise?"

 

"Oh, I suspect she's knows since the very beginning - hence her overeagerness to instruct him in archery. The real question is, how are you going to tell Klein himself?"

 

_Tell me what?'_

 

"Wait - me? As much as he loves me, I don't think Klein would appreciate me, the one who's been encouraging him all this time, tell him that he just doesn't have the capacity for magic."

 

In that moment, Klein swears he can feel his heart stop.

 

He doesn't register losing his balance until he's already put all of his weight on the doorknob and is pitching forwards into Pent's room. Stumbling into the middle of the room, he simply opens and closes his mouth wordlessly.

 

Erk dearly wishes that someone would strike him down with an Elfire tome.

 

Pent is the only one who acts like nothing had happened, beaming at his younger son's sudden arrival. "Klein! Was there something you needed?"

 

The sentence takes longer than usual to process. "I - yes, Clarine said that she needed Mother, I think."

 

Pent's still smiling, but the color on his face has slowly disappeared. "Could it be - no, I shall find Louise as fast as I can," he mumbles, walking out of the room at a fast pace.

 

When the door creaks shut behind him, it's just Klein and a highly uncomfortable Erk in the room.

 

Alone.

 

"Brother?" Klein whispers, if only to break through the dense air. "When  _were_ you going to tell me?"

 

"Soon," Erk replies with zero hesitation. "It's just...not really an easy thing to tell anyone? And now it just sounds like I'm making excuses for myself and I hate asking you to believe me, but - that's exactly what I'm asking you to do."

 

After a moment's pause, Klein inclines his head. "...I believe you. But why couldn't you have told me directly? I thought that I was doing...so well, and..."

 

"You were. And you  _are_. But I don't think that you'll ever be able to move not to more complex spells, like Elfire or Lightning. Simple ones will work just fine, though - be proud of how far you've come! I haven't met many people who could master magic through sheer force of will."

 

Erk's words continue to spin, leaving Klein feeling more disoriented than he should be.

 

"But...can't magic be inherited?" His voice grows louder in volume and more panicked in tone. "Am I not the son of the famous Mage General? Do I not have a reputation to live up to?"

 

He shouts the last sentence despite himself, and leaves the unsaid  _am I not simply a failure if I cannot handle other people's expectations?_ hanging in the quiet that follows.

 

Erk sighs, but his eyes are filled with fondness.

 

"You know, back in the war, I fought with this girl. She didn't know that she was nobility; she was raised on the plains, actually, trained as a warrior first and a proper lead second. After the war, she never stopped second-guessing herself - was she right for this role? Could she live up to the example that her grandfather had set? Were the gossiping nobles around her right? Was she really unfit to rule?"

 

He pauses, glancing over at Klein, who now has all of his attention fixed on Erk.

 

"...You might know her, actually. She goes by Lyn."

 

Klein's eyes go wide, and he lets out an involuntary gasp. "You don't mean...Lady Lyndis? The most respected female lord of this time?"

 

"I do mean Lady Lyndis. And, uh, you do know what I'm trying to tell you, right?"

 

Klein shakes his head, still shocked enough that he doesn't attempt conversation.

 

Suddenly, Erk leans down to ruffle Klein's hair, a smile forming on his face. "Ah, I was never really good with this kind of stuff anyway. But just know that even though you're the Mage General's son, you don't have to be a mage. You're pretty good with the bow, right? Mom's been bragging...a lot, actually."

 

"I'm pretty good, yeah!" Klein beams, but his expression morphs into a squint. "You're not just saying that, are you?"

 

"Would I do that to you?"

 

"...Right, sorry."

 

"No, no, don't worry about it! I guess I deserved that...but if you're serious about this, then do what Lyn did and become the best da - darn Archer General Etruria has ever seen. It's okay if you're different; that doesn't make you any less of a son. Okay?"

 

Looking more determined, Klein nods.

 

"Feel better now?"

 

"Mhm!"

 

Erk feels something collide with his stomach and arms wrap around his stomach, and looks down in mild surprise to see Klein tightly hugging whatever part of Erk he can reach.

 

"Thanks. You're the best big brother ever, you know?"

 

Laughing, Erk returns the hug as best he can.

 

"I try."

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry I love Klein I swear
> 
> come yell at me on twitter @axlotlols !!


End file.
